Comments on: 10 Reasons Why All Kids Should Read Harry Potter

By: Diane Simonoff

Diane Simonoff — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 02:00:37 +0000

Trying to be objective (which is hard because I simply adore Harry Potter) the books have had the greatest influence in our world since the Bible. It is ingrained in all levels of pop culture, it is being taught or available in almost every school system on the planet, it is being taught not only as kiddie lit, but mainstream literature and philosophy, and political science. Rowling examines government, education social justice, basic moral issues tolerance environment and religion with out forcing views on the reader. It has the unique ability to entertain every age group and it’s meaning and message evolves over time and education level. The author shows an extraordinary grasp of religion, mythology and government which does not reveal itself on a single reading requires study and patience. After reading the books over a hundred times with multiple fellow readers I frequently find someone new. If you look carefully at the first generation raised on Potter you can see his finger prints everywhere.

By: Shyla

Shyla — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 07:28:59 +0000

As soon as I read “Our choices make us who we are” I instantly thought of Draco Malfoy xD

By: Linda

Linda — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 09:31:13 +0000

As a grandparent this site has helped me get instep with what kids are reading these days. I also support the reading of Harry Potter and I do believe there is a book out there to inspire every child to read more..

By: Amelia Becker

Amelia Becker — Thu, 26 May 2016 18:20:19 +0000

If you are Christian, or Catholic, whatever denomination you are, do not be afraid to let your kids read Harry Potter. The arguments that ‘it’s sorcery’ or ‘magic is from the devil’ are a bit silly in my opinion. I’ve heard people say ‘if you read Harry Potter you’ll get possessed!’ That is not how possession works. Real sorcery and witchcraft are a danger and should not be dabbled with, however, if you know this and you know that it is your responsibility to teach your children this, you have nothing to worry about. The problem is not that witches are evil, but rather it lies with distinguishing fiction from reality. The struggle between good and evil magic is found in various examples of literature. If you have ever read JRR Tolkien’s, a very Catholic man and author, The Lord of The Rings, you would know that there is magic in his books. Gandalf the Grey/ White uses magic. He is a wizard, and a very powerful one at that. The majority of the time he is seen as the wisest character whom everyone goes to for help, relying upon him to save the day and he does. There is also the presence of evil magic and sorcery within LOTR shown through the characters of Sauron and Saruman, both distinctly evil figures. C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia has many examples of Christian symbolism within it, and it too depicts a battle between good and evil magic. When looking at Harry Potter there is also a distinct battle between the forces of good and evil. Magic is simply the medium used in this particular story. It does not matter that the characters are using magic to fight one another. Without it, they are still people fighting for good and evil causes. The author, JK Rowling, may or may not be Christian, but regardless of that fact, the protagonists in her books still learn real life lessons. That is a fact. Some lessons learned are for example: standing up for yourself and what you believe to be right and true, being there and caring for your friends, not letting your past define who you are as a person but rather the choices you make right now, etc. There is a big difference between reading a book that has magic in it, and trying to conjure spells in real life. The point here, is that if your kids are going to read any fictional book, they need to understand that what is sometimes portrayed as being okay in fiction, will not always be okay in reality. If your child is bitten by a spider and then thinks it is a good idea to jump out of his second story window to try out his new ‘spidey powers,’ you would promptly tell him that that is not okay. However awesome a story Spiderman is, it is still fiction. The same is true for The Lord of The Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Harry Potter, etc. It is all fiction. We are allowed to enjoy fiction, so long as it does not interfere with reality. Perhaps in that sense you should maybe wait until your child has a general grasp of that before letting them read the books, but reality is a topic most people grapple with even as adults (any philosophy student has experienced that confusion). There is no harm in reading the books first yourself if you believe that to be necessary. Maybe you will think that they are a bad example of literature and that there are better things your kids could be reading. The only reason I would hold my kids off from reading these books at a young age is because they are huge. Unless you really like reading, they could be daunting to anyone of any age. But just as you should not give up on reading a book because of its size, you also should not give up reading a book because of its inclusion of magic. You do not have to make your children read these books either. You are their parents, and that decision is up to your discretion. However, so long as it is not a ‘How to’ book on summoning the devil, I think you will be just fine.

By: Declan Lundt

Declan Lundt — Thu, 19 May 2016 23:10:49 +0000

The whole idea of Harry Potter as being “The fantastical, magical world of coming-of-age, adventure, and suspense ignites and improves a child’s imagination.” is wherein lurks the trouble with this series and does not make it fit for children to read. Not only the magic that is talked about but the sexual innuendo , and erotically suggestive scenes (Myrtle visiting Harry in the bathroom).
To explain the first part, for Christian parents who are careful about what they want and allow their children to read, it is an important reminder that magic means sorcery, which goes directly against the First Commandment. Sorcery is a grave evil, a direct offense against God Himself. Due to the widespread success of the book series and its endorsement all over the world, it may be easy to think that, “Hey this can’t be bad for my kids can it? I must be over reacting”. Where is the harm in this? The harm lies in the fact that our superheros in the book are sorcerers; spending years and years studying and becoming proficient in “magic”, which to remind you is against the First Commandment, regardless if it is “good” and not “dark” magic. The tales are presented as good triumphing over evil-the young wizard defeating the evil and dark voldemort. There is no mention of God whatsoever only magical spells to fix the problems and predicaments that the characters find themselves faced with. The works of Rowling herself were not malicious in intent, but it is hard to argue that these books are not Wiccan and therefore Anti-Christian and totally inappropriate for children to read. Why would you not have your children read truth filled literature that give real testament to friendship and overcoming adversity such as ‘Unbroken’ or ‘Number the Stars’. These are two examples of non-fictional books that are appropriate for children and have real life lessons all throughout them. The good, triumphs over the evil, but instead of relying on the false sense of magic, these books rely on Christ as the root of their strength in facing adversity.

By: Melissa Taylor

Melissa Taylor — Fri, 06 May 2016 17:18:52 +0000

In reply to Amy Brewer. thanks, Amy!

By: Amy Brewer

Amy Brewer — Wed, 04 May 2016 16:15:26 +0000

I cant wait to recommend this site for so many parents wanting to know what their kids should read! Thank you!

By: James

James — Fri, 26 Feb 2016 19:51:49 +0000

Awesome